Iranian authorities have seized an oil tanker in the Gulf of Oman, alleging that the vessel was carrying six million litres of smuggled diesel fuel and had deliberately switched off its navigation systems.

The tanker was intercepted overnight on Friday, with 18 crew members on board, including nationals from India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh, according to reports citing Iran’s state-affiliated media and news agency AFP.

Iran’s Fars news agency reported that an official from the southern province of Hormozgan said the tanker was boarded off the coast of the Sea of Oman after it was found to be operating without active navigation systems. No details were disclosed about the ship’s name or flag.

Iranian forces frequently announce the interception of vessels accused of illegally transporting fuel in the Gulf region. Authorities have said that fuel smuggling remains a persistent problem as Iran’s heavily subsidised fuel is very cheap, and the fall in the national currency has made it even more profitable to sell fuel illegally to neighbouring countries.

The seizure comes after a series of similar actions in recent months. In November, Iran also seized an oil tanker in Gulf waters, saying it was carrying unauthorised cargo and denying that the move was in retaliation against any other country.

Last month, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) also took control of a ship flying the flag of Eswatini in the Strait of Hormuz, accusing it of transporting smuggled fuel.

The IRGC, which forms the ideological arm of Iran’s military, separately seized a Marshall Islands-flagged tanker in November; the vessel was later released and its 21 crew members were reported to be safe.

In another recent case, a tanker travelling from the United Arab Emirates to Singapore was intercepted after being approached by three small boats in the Strait of Hormuz before deviating from its course in the Gulf of Oman, according to assessments by private maritime security firm Ambrey. Iranian authorities later said that tanker was in violation for carrying unauthorised cargo following inspections.

The latest interception comes just two days after the United States seized an oil tanker off the coast of Venezuela. Washington said the ship had been transporting oil originating from Venezuela and Iran and was part of a sanctioned network linked to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and Hezbollah.

The US Coast Guard boarded the vessel from a helicopter, and US officials said the tanker was seen spoofing its location to conceal its movements.

According to data cited by market intelligence firm Kpler and referenced by US authorities, the Guyana-flagged tanker, identified as Skipper since 2022, had engaged in Automatic Identification System spoofing on more than 80 days over the past two years.

The data showed that the vessel concealed information such as its location, name, speed and registration, while carrying out multiple ship-to-ship transfers during periods when its AIS signal was hidden.

US officials said the seized tanker was expected to dock in Galveston, Texas, where its crew would be released. Venezuela’s government condemned the operation, with President Nicolas Maduro describing it as an attack on free trade and accusing Washington of international piracy.

The Gulf of Oman and the Strait of Hormuz remain among the world’s most critical maritime chokepoints, with roughly 20% of global oil trade passing through the region.

References: TOI, Livemint